Obesity/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby Moby is laying on the living room couch watching a TV show. Tim walks in carrying a football. TIM: What a gorgeous day. Come on. Let's go outside. Tim throws the ball onto Moby's head. MOBY: Beep. TIM: But you haven't budged in, like, three hours. Tim reads from a typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, what is obesity? Is it the same as being overweight? Thanks, Robert. Actually, it's more than just being overweight. It's weighing a lot more than what's normal for your height and age. An image shows normal, overweight, and obese figures. TIM: Obesity is a condition in which a person builds up dangerous amounts of body fat. The image shows the obese figure. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, sure. Everyone needs some body fat to stay warm, store energy for your cells, and protect your internal organs. Images around a figure illustrate the uses for body fat that Tim describes. TIM: And carrying a few extra pounds doesn't necessarily mean you're overweight or obese. It's when "a few extra pounds" turns into "a lot of extra pounds" that people get into trouble. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Doctors often measure how much body fat someone has through body mass index or BMI. It's calculated as weight divided by the square of your height. Text shows that a person on a scale has a height of one point seven meters and a weight of sixty-five kilograms. BMI is sixty-five kilograms divided by one point seven meters squared, which equals twenty-two point five. TIM: It's not an exact science, but for adults, a BMI of twenty-five or more generally means you're overweight, and a BMI of thirty or more means you're obese. The BMI numbers are shown. The figure on the scale gets larger when Tim describes overweight and obese BMI numbers. TIM: For kids, the calculation is a bit different. If your BMI is higher than eight-five percent of kids your age, you're overweight. If it's in the ninety-fifth percentile, you're obese. An image shows ten figures of kids that go from normal weight to progressively overweight and obese, representing the weight of kids in one age group. The overweight and obese figures are highlighted to show the percentages Tim mentions. TIM: More people are overweight now than ever before, and the numbers are growing at a scary rate. Today, one in three American adults is obese and one in six children. An animation shows more obese figures appearing with normal and overweight figures on a map of the United States. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, there are a few different causes. Let's start with the energy stored inside food, which is measured in units called calories. An animation shows energy radiating from an apple. A boy takes the apple and eats it. TIM: Our bodies use this energy to keep our cells running. But when we take in more calories than our cells need, the extra energy is stored as body fat. The animation shows the apple traveling to the boy's stomach. As the boy keeps eating, more and more food appears in his stomach, and the fat expands his torso. TIM: The problem is, the typical American diet is full of high-calorie foods. On top of that, the quality of the food we eat has declined. Images show pizza, a hot dog, onion rings, French fries, fried chicken, and some soda. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Our modern diet is filled with processed food, altered from its natural state to last longer or taste better. An image shows different types of processed foods including frozen dinners, cereal, canned tuna, quick and ready pizza and meals, soda, and cookies. TIM: Processing can rob food of nutrition, and that means that your body is more likely to store its energy as fat. The image of the processed foods turns to grayscale. TIM: One cool thing to know is that when you eat more wholesome foods, your body and brain feel more satisfied, which can actually keep you from feeling hungry. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Right, diet isn't the only problem. These days, lots of people lead less active lifestyles. Images show a boy using a computer, two kids playing video games, and a kid watching television while lying on the floor. TIM: Think about it. How much time do you spend sitting in front of a TV or computer? People who are sedentary, or physically inactive, burn fewer calories than people who are constantly on the move. Side by side images show a fit boy jogging and an overweight boy lying down on his couch. TIM: Poor eating habits combined with inactivity increases body fat, and that opens you up to a slew of health problems. For one thing, carrying all that extra weight puts physical stress on all parts of the body, especially the bones and joints of the legs. Animations show an overweight figure struggling to bend his knees and a person feeling pain in their knee . TIM: Obesity can worsen the effects of asthma and lead to sleeping problems, low energy, and depression. Images illustrate the problems obesity can contribute to as Tim describes them. TIM: And obese people have a higher risk of developing diabetes, a deadly disease in which the body can't process sugar. An animation shows substances travelling in the bloodstream. An image shows glucose molecules, and then an X is placed over the image. MOBY: Beep. TIM: That's not the worst of it. Too much body fat can block arteries and lead to high blood pressure, or hypertension. An animation shows a person's blood pressure being taken and what it reads. TIM: Hypertension forces the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body, which can lead to heart failure and death. An animation shows blood pumping through a heart. TIM: This makes obesity a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, a group of heart problems that together are the leading cause of death in the world. Okay, wanna hear the good news? MOBY: Beep. TIM: A lot of these problems are preventable. A combination of smart eating and regular exercise is the best plan for fighting obesity, as well as preventing it in the first place. Choosing low-calorie snacks like fruits and vegetables and avoiding sugary drinks are two easy ways to cut down on calories. An image shows fruits and vegetables next to a bag of chips, candy, and cookies. The bottom image shows a bottle of soda next to a bottle of water. The chips, candy, cookies, and the soda black out as Tim says they should be avoided. TIM: At meals, keep your portion sizes manageable; say "no thanks" to seconds; and try eating only at the table. Images illustrate Tim's guide to eating well. TIM: Staying active is the other half of the plan. Try to exercise regularly. Images show kids jumping, swimming, and playing basketball. TIM: Sometimes, all it takes is little choices, like walking instead of taking the bus, or climbing stairs instead of hopping on elevators. Physical activity burns calories and strengthens bones and muscles, and it's also a great way to lift your mood. An animation shows a boy flexing his biceps muscles. MOBY: Beep. TIM: That's true; some people who lead healthy lifestyles still struggle with weight. Hormones and other genetic factors can make some people more likely to gain weight and keep it on. Images show DNA strand blocks affecting the weight of three human figures. TIM: So, if you are concerned about your weight, talk to your parents or another adult you trust, and see a doctor or a nutritionist before you take action. An image shows a girl consulting with her doctor. TIM: They'll be able to identify if you really do have a weight problem and if there's anything you should do about it. Dieting on your own is not really a good idea, better to get advice from someone who can recommend specific changes in eating and activity behaviors. Now, are you ready for some football? MOBY: Beep. Moby nods his head a yes. He walks away. (big crash) Moby walked straight through the wall and bricks of the house. TIM: Uh... I never said you had to stop using doors! Category:BrainPOP Transcripts Category:BrainPOP Health Transcripts